Backyard Archives - Page 39 of 45 - Betty Hall Photography

October butterflies

It’s October and I’m still enjoying butterflies in the backyard.

The New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae) has recently been a magnet for butterflies and bees. It was great fun this past Saturday to observe bumble bees (large, medium, and small), honey bees, and butterflies including cabbage, pearl crescent, and several different skippers. I also managed to capture these images.

I see Orange Sulphurs (Colias eurytheme) fairly often and enjoy their bright spots of color.

Gray Hairstreaks (Strymon melinus) are less common and seeing them is a special treat.

I was especially glad to see a variegated fritillary (Euptoieta claudia) for the first time this year.

Since Saturday, daytime temperatures have dropped to the 50s and 60s. Was this my last backyard butterfly show of the year? If so, it was a good one.

Hearts-a-burstin’

Yes, this is the name of a native Kentucky shrub. Other names include hearts-a-bursting with love, and strawberry-bush (Euonymus americanus).

Our 4 ft. shrub has proven to be hardy, growing underneath a large pine tree in dry, shady conditions.

It’s quite showy this time of year when the prickly-looking magenta pods break open to display the bright red-orange seeds and is another of my favorite plants.

This week I welcome three new subscribers. It’s encouraging to know others share my interests, and I appreciate your comments and questions.

Jack-in-the-pulpit

How’s this for some bright autumn color?

I look forward to Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) in my shade garden in the spring. I also enjoy it in autumn. Its brilliant red seeds add a splash of color and catch my attention whenever I walk by.

Buckeye butterfly

What a treat! I am seeing Buckeye butterflies (Junonia coenia) in the backyard for the first time. I think they are quite attractive with their colorful markings and distinctive “eyes”. They, along with several other smaller butterflies, are feeding on Mist Flower, the subject of last week’s post. At times it’s a butterfly frenzy and great fun to watch.

Mist Flower

This is the bees’ and butterflies’ favorite plant right now. Mist Flower or Wild Ageratum (Eupatorium coelestinum) is in full bloom. Many of the summer flowers have faded while the fall asters and goldenrods haven’t yet blossomed. Mist Flower is drought tolerant – a welcome characteristic during our current Kentucky hot and dry spell. I also enjoy bringing it inside as part of a garden bouquet.

In addition to various bees, I’ve seen skippers, silvery checkerspots and monarch butterflies enjoying its nectar. The visitor above is an Ailanthus webworm moth (Atteva aurea). It is an occasional visitor in the garden and I like its unique design.